HBO’s Tokyo Vice is still a perfect weekend binge

Crime dramas are a dime a dozen these days and have been the bedrock of broadcast and streaming TV for years. From Law & Order and NCIS to The Wire and True Detective, mystery shows run the gamut from comfort food procedurals to ambitious prestige dramas. Yet while many are celebrated for their ingenious twists, dark iconography, and memorable detectives, the genre has become so crowded that genuinely distinctive entries are increasingly difficult to come by. For every breakout hit, there are dozens of mysteries built around interchangeable backlots and familiar storytelling beats.